Justice for the Negros 19! Justice for Kai! Justice for Lyle!
IWA US vehemently condemns the brutal massacre of 19 Filipinos, including two Filipino Americans, by the Philippine government from April 19 to 20th on Negros Island. The Armed Forces of the Philippines unleashed fascist terror on communities in Barangay Salamanca, conducting indiscriminate strafing for twelve hours and displacing more than 650 residents in a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
Those killed include People's journalist RJ Ledesma, a writer with Paghimutad-Negros and Regional Coordinator of Altermidya in Negros Island. Alyssa Alano, a Councilor of the UP Diliman Student Council and former chair of the League of Filipino Students at UP Diliman. Peasant advocates, community organizers, and researcher of agricultural workers Errol Wendel and Maureen Santuyo. Farmer Roel Sebillo. Filipino American activists Kai Sorem of Anakbayan South Seattle and Lyle Prijoles of International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP-US).
Kai was a Filipina-American woman and founding member of Anakbayan South Seattle. As a beloved community member and ‘Ate’ [older sister] to so many, Kai was incredibly gentle and kind, while fierce in her service to the people. She had a beautiful voice and was skilled at bringing people together through music. As an overseas Filipina, Kai felt called to return to her homeland to learn more about her language and culture and stand with peasant communities in their struggles. She courageously took up the call for women and LGBT+ people to fight for national liberation to advance the cause of genuine liberation for women and LGBT+ people and the entire Filipino people. Kai truly embodied the words of Filipina Revolutionary Lorena Barros, as a "woman fully engaged in the making of history."
Filipino women and LGBTQ+ people of the diaspora have a role to play in taking up the issues of the people back in their homelands, which Kai embodied by returning to the motherland to be immersed with the masses, including peasant women, urban poor, political prisoners, and other oppressed genders that come from the toiling classes. Unlike the narrative pushed by the Philippine government, it is not a crime to return home. Rather it is right and just for overseas and migrant Filipinos to return home to serve the most oppressed in society.
We honor Kai, Lyle, and the legacy of the Negros 19 by calling women and LGBT+ people around the globe to continue their work – organizing and fighting for national and social liberation.
Justice for Kai Sorem!
Justice for Lyle Prijoles!
A woman's role is in the struggle!
Stop the Killings!
Defend Negros!
Defend the Philippine Struggle!
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